Palestine to approach UN to stop Israeli crackdown

Ramallah, June 22 (IANS) The Palestinian leadership plans to approach the United Nations Security Council in a bid to stop Israel's offensive against the Palestinian territories, that surged following the disappearance of three Israeli teenagers June 12 near the West Bank.

The leadership, in a press statement Sunday, said it has made intensive contacts for the convening of an urgent session of the UN Security Council to discuss putting an end to what it described as 'Israel's ongoing brutal offensive' against the Palestinians, Xinhua reported.

"We will also approach international organisations to protect our people," the statement said.

The Palestinian leadership comprises of members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive committee and members of the Fatah party's central committee.

"The Israeli escalation in the West Bank, which left five people killed and 400 others arrested, means that the Israeli government is pushing the situation towards explosion," the leadership warned.

The security situation in the West Bank has seriously worsened after the Israeli government said three youngsters were kidnapped June 12.

Islamic Hamas movement denied its involvement and accused Israel of fabricating the incident.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army has killed five Palestinians and arrested over 400 others in its attempt to trace the missing teenagers.

On Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said there was no evidence to show that Hamas was behind the kidnapping of the three Israelis in the West Bank.